


You Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone

by Nightdog_Barks



Category: House M.D.
Genre: Angst, Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-11-23
Updated: 2006-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-18 04:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/184741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightdog_Barks/pseuds/Nightdog_Barks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>House thinks he's got it all under control.  He doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone

**Author's Note:**

> A short ficlet; angst and drama for a holiday night. Yup, it's dark again, but just as in _Escape Velocity_ , the resolution is up to the reader.

  
**STATUS:** Crossposted to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/house_wilson/profile)[**house_wilson**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/house_wilson/) , 11/23/06  
 **TITLE:** You Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone  
 **AUTHOR:** [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/nightdog_writes/profile)[**nightdog_writes**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/nightdog_writes/)  
 **PAIRING:** House/Wilson  
 **RATING:** PG-13  
 **WARNINGS:** None.  
 **SPOILERS:** Yes. This story takes place soon after "Whac-A-Mole," which is episode 3.08.  
 **SUMMARY:** House thinks he's got it all under control. He doesn't.  
 **DISCLAIMER:** Don't own 'em. Never will. Also no claim to ownership of the great Joni Mitchell.  
 **AUTHOR NOTES:** A short ficlet; angst and drama for a holiday night. Yup, it's dark again, but just as in _Escape Velocity_ , the resolution is up to the reader.  
 **BETA:** Not.

  
 **You Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone**

House limped slowly into the lobby of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Winter was coming on, and he was beginning to feel every one of his forty-seven years. His head hurt. His hips hurt. His leg hurt. And to top it all off, his shoulder hurt now too.

What had Wilson said? Oh yeah -- it was his _conscience_. Damn Wilson and his stupid metaphors. Almost as bad as that "wings will melt" bullshit. He was tired of Wilson. He'd get through this Tritter mess without him. Better, really. Only had to look out for himself now.

Some of the nurses and other doctors were giving him odd, almost frightened looks. _Fuck 'em,_ he thought. _Take a picture, it'll last longer._

He made his way to the Diagnostics conference room, glancing, through force of habit, at Wilson's office on the way. Almost eleven in the morning and it didn't look like Wilson was in. _Must've missed the bus,_ House thought, and smirked at his own joke.

Foreman was the only one in the conference room, his attention focused on the new issue of _The Lancet_. House set his backpack on the table and looked around.

"Where's Cameron? Chase?"

Foreman turned the page in the journal. "ICU," he said, not looking up.

"I see you, too. Now where are Chase and Cameron?"

Now Foreman did look up, and House was startled at the expression on his face. Anger and defiance were clearly visible, as was something else -- sadness?

"Very funny," Foreman said. "They're down in Intensive Care, waiting to see if Wilson dies."

The conference room floor seemed to sway under House's feet. Foreman watched him closely.

"You didn't know, did you?"

House couldn't seem to draw in enough breath. "What?" he tried, and then "How?"

"This morning. Mugged at a bus stop by a guy with a gun." Foreman's voice was soft, as if speaking to a child. "Wilson gave up his wallet; only problem was it didn't have enough cash or cards in it for the thief. Guy got mad, emptied part of his clip into Wilson and the rest into an innocent stop sign."

He tossed the medical journal onto the table and stood up.

"And now, unless you've got some objection, I'm going to join Cameron and Chase."

He brushed past House, who was still standing in frozen shock.

 _Got to go with Foreman._ His mind was racing, his heart pounding in his chest. _Got to get to the ICU .. see Wilson ... Wilson ..._

He couldn't seem to move.

His shoulder was _screaming_ at him.

  
~fin


End file.
